Decade counting device



Nov. 7, 1961 J. 1. BELLAMY DECADE couNTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 30, 1956 United States Patent O 3,007,638 DECADE COUNTING DEVICE John I. Bellamy, Wheaton, Ill., assignor to International vTelephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maryland Filed Jan. 30, 1956, Ser. No. 562,301

7 Claims. (Cl. 23S-92) This invention relates to a decade counting device, being a multi-digit pulse-counting device of the decade type. Its principal object is to provide an improved decade counting device which is more simple and economical in construction than heretofore. The invention is disclosed as applied to"a decade counting device of the general type exemplified by the United States patent application of R. H. Williamson, for a Decade Counting Device, Serial No..507,276, led May 10, 1955,`now Patent No. 2,936,955.' In this prior-art decade counting device, a simple ten-pulsev counting device at each .decade position is pulse operated, to its ninth position, over one circuit, and is restoredtovits normal (or zero) position over another circuit. The necessary circuit shift requires a transfer 'relay at each decadelposition, which is also utilized to send a stepping pulse to the next succeeding decade position incidental to the restoration of the local counting device. i

According to the invention,.the previously required transfer relays are renderedfunnecessary by arranging that the counting device, at each decade,position'preceding the last completes its own `local restoring circuit in tenth position, and also sends a t'imelyjlfs'tep'pin'gpulseto the next" succeeding decade position. Thecounting mechanism preferably used at any decade position is of the type which does not obey closure of its restoring circuit while its stepping circuit is closed. l l

The above-mentioned and other features land objects of this. invention and the manner of 4attaining them will become moleapparent, andtherinvention itself will be best understoodpby reference to the following description of an embodimentf-of Vthe invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. v

Referring .to the drawing, each of the devices 201 to 204 is preferably a magnetic impulse counter of the general type `disclosed in the-U.Sl Patent No. 2,538,818.

For best `operation at ythe higher frequencies of impulses lcounted by the ii'rst (units) counter 201,`it is preferred that the counters 201 Avto 204 have windings according to the principles of my prior application Seriall Number 552,829 -for a Fast-Acting yElectromagnetic Counting Device, filed December 13, 1955, now Patent No, 2,909,- 712., That is, winding energization should occur in -a circuit having a steady-state consumption of `about fty watts, with each restoring winding having about four turns per supply volt, and with each operating winding having about nine Iturns per supply volt.

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256 over which signal lamps (not shown) may be controlled.

Each of the pre-final digit-selecting brushes 211 to 214, and each of .the linal digit-selecting brushes 216 to 219, has ten contact positions. They Aare represented by contacts designated 0 and 1 to 9, corresponding respectively to digit values 0 and 1 to 9. Contact 0 of each such brush is letit unconnected, while theV contacts 1 to 9 thereof are connected, by respective conductors 1 to 9, to contacts 1 to 9 of the associated one of the counters 201 to 204, as shown for contacts 1,2, and 9 of each of the brushes, and for Contact sets 1, 2, and 9 of its associated counter.

Rectiers 221 are provided to prevent interacting current flow between wires 239 and 237.

Condensers 101` to 104 are provided for -arc suppression.

' When lan associated machine (notlshown herein, but shown atff200 in the Williamson application) is to be operated under control of the disclosed decade counting device, the attendant sets'tinal brushes 219 to 216 according tothe respective digits in the nurnber representing the quantity number of machine operations desired. For example, setting the final brushes 219 .to 216 respectively at l, 0, 9, and 2, conditions thew counter to cause the machine to execute 1,092 operations.

If a pre-final function of themachine is desired, the pre-final brushes 214 to 211 are set for a corresponding lower number, such as 1,001.

With final and pre-final 4brushes set, start key 233 is operated momentarily, thereby grounding start conductor 236, which causes start relay 222 to operate over a circuit path to be traced. Among other things, start relay 236 locks operated by placing ground directly on conductor 236 at'` its contacts 1. Ground on conductor 236 passes through each of the break contact sets 1 tov 9 of I counters 201 to 204, grounding each of the conductors 1 to 9 leading from each such counter to the bank contacts of the lassociated ones of the brushes 211 to 213 and 216 to 219. Thereby, each such brush which has been set in any position 1 to 9 becomes grounded upon the noted grounding of conductor 236. With the noted brushes set as assumed, ground on the brushes is extended through 4associated rectiiiers 221 to the final conductor 239, and is similarly extended to pre-final conductor 237.

' The ground onpre-linal conductor 237 extends through contacts 3 of pre-final relay 224 to the left winding terminal of pre-final Vrelay 224 to prevent operation of that relay 224 until the pre-final count has occurred, and the ground on iinal conductor 239 completes the noted operating circuit for start relay 222, by way of the upper 4 contacts of clearout key 234, and break contacts 10 of ,The invention is shownas applied to a device generally 1 according to FIG. 2 of the noted Williamson application. 'Fhvat is, the decade counting `device is capable of controlling a function machine (not shown) from which it receives the impulses tobe' counted over Vwire i246 and to which it may transmit controlling signals a-t contacts 2, 3, and 1 of relays 224, 222, and 223, respectively.

The disclosed device has general control apparatus comprising relays222 to 225 and start and clearout keys 233 and234'.l It :further comprises a desired number of similar counting combinations at its illustrated units, tens, hundreds, `and .thousands decade positions. The units combination, for example, comprises magnetic irnpulse counter 201, pre-final and final multi-position switches 211 and216, and a signal-lamp conductor group counter 201.

Start relay 222, in addition to locking ground on start conductor 236 at its contacts 1, closes its contacts 2 to extend the ground on conductor 239 to the right winding terminal of pre-final relay 224, but that relay does not now operate since its left winding terminal stands grounded over conductor 237 as previously described. The closing of contacts 2 of 222 also extends operating ground on iinal conductor 239, through contacts of =key 234, to the hold relay 223, which operates. u

If desired, ten pilot 'lamm 0 and 1 to 9 (not shown) may be provided for each counter- 204 .to 201. It so, they are connected over `the conductor groups 256 to 2-59, and the zero lamp in each group now lights, since conductor 0 in each group is a multiple of the nowgrounded conductor 1 of the associated counter, extending to the banks of thedigit brushes. g

As a further result of its operation, start relay 222, at its contacts 4, prepar an operate path `for counter 201; at its contacts 5 to 8, it opensthe release circuit for counters 201 to 204; and art its contacts 3, it completes the operate circuit for the functional machine (not shown) as explained in the noted Williamson application.

Contacts 1 of hold relay 223 may be utilized to transmit a control signal to the machine. At its contacts 3, relay 223 prepares a release circuit for counters 201 to 204; and at its contacts 2, it completes an operate path for counter 201 under control of the incoming pulses over wire 246.

On the noted completion of its operate circuit, the machine operates in the manner described -for machine 200 of FIG. 2, of the noted Williamson application, to perform its functional operations in succession, thereby delivening a succession of pulses over -wire 246, which are extended via contacts 4 and 2 of relays 222 and 223, units Wire UP, resistor 271, to the operate winding OP of the units counter 201.

When the rst ten pulses over wire 246 are delivered to the units counting combination UC201, the contact sets 1 to 10 thereof are operated, and held, in succession. Groundis thereby disconnected progressively from the contacts '1 to v9 ot pre-final and tnal brushes 211 and 216, by the progressive opening of break contacts 1 to 9 of 201. These operations, however, are of only momentary eiiect until the pre-iinal or the nal setting is reached.

More speciiically, the receipt of the rst pulse over wire UP from wire 246 results in the operation of contact sets 1 of counter 201.

At its breakcontacts 1, counter 201 disconnects ground from contacts 1 of brushes 211 and 216 and removes ground 'from the downwardly extending zero lamp wire of conductor group 256; and at its make contacts 1, it applies ground to the associated No. l lamp wire of conductor group 256 from `ground on wire 236 via `break contacts 2 of 201. l-f provided and connected over conductor group.256, the previously noted units pilot lamps (not shown) are thus progressively lighted and extinguished by the operation of the contact sets, serving as a pilot signal of the machine operations'.

Pulses 2 to 10 progressively operate contact sets 2 to 10 of counter 201 in the manner described, and each operated set -is magnetically held until the Ycounter is cleared.

On the operation of contact `set 10 of 201, on the receipt of :the tenth pulse over wire UP, the break contacts thereof remove the shunt :from tens-pulse relay 225, permitting relay 225 to operate in series with start relay 222; and at the make contacts 10 of 201, a restoring circuit is completed for counter .201 from ground, resistor 273, through winding R to battery. Counter 201 does not immediately restore, however, until the end of the tenth operating pulse over wire UP.

At its contact, tens-pulse relay 225 extends an voperate pulse through resistor272, tensfpulse lwire TP, winding OP of counter 202 to battery. -Relay 225 is rendered slow-releasing by virtue of its circuitry (being shortly shunted upon reclosu-re of break contacts of vcontact set 10 of 201), thereby extending a pulse over wire TP of a duration greater than the time required for counter 201 to restore.

The receipt of the rst pulse over wire TP results in the operation of contact set 1 of counter 202.

At its Ibreak contacts '1, counter 202 disconnects lground from contacts 1 tof brushes 212 and 217 and from lamp wire of conductor group 257; and at its make contacts 1, it applies ground to the associated lamp Wire of group 257 lrfrom 'ground on 'wire 236 via break contacts 2 of 202.

At the end of the tenth pulse, units counter 201 quickly restores before the receipt of the next pulse over wire 246. Upon restoring counter 201 opens its restoring circuit (through make contacts of contact set v) and shunts relay 225, which shortly restores -to open the operate circuit or tens vcounter TC202. Asexplained more fully, in my prior application, the disclosed counters 201 to 204 are rendered fast-acting by increasing the steadystate wattage of bot-h the operate path and the restoring path to about iifty watts, and yby applying only a relatively small number of turns (45 0 turns `for operate winding OP and 20() turns for restoring winding R) on the electromagnet in either path. In either pat-h, the turns are so related to the supply voltage that the ampere-turn rise of current is rapid until its desired value is reached, following which lthe opening of the circuit or the de veloped current-resistance drop (IR drop) limits the developed lampere turns to a value which is below oversaturation kfor the operate winding OP or is below reoperate value for the restoring Winding R. In the operate path for the -units counter 201, a limiting resistor 271 is employed, and in the operate path for the tens counter 202, a similar resistor 272 is employed. In the restoring path for units counter 201 and thousands counter 204 a limiting resistor 273 is employed, and in the restoring path for the counters 202 and 204 a limiting resistor 274 is employed in series with the operate winding OP of the next succeeding counter.

At 'the end of the twentieth pulse over wire UP, tenspulse relay 225 yis again operated over the previously described path to extend a second pulse over wire TP to the operate winding OP of tens counter 202 to actuate its contact set 2. Counter 201 again restores at the end of the twentieth pulse in the manner described. The receipt of the one hundredth pulse over wire UP again results in the reoperation of tens-pulse relay 225 which ygrounds wire TP 'to' operate contact set 10 of counter 202,

At its make contact set 10, tens counter 202 connects the loperate winding OP of hundreds counter 203 in series with its restoring winding R. The operate circuit is from ground through winding OP of 203, wire 275, contacts 10 of 202, `resistor 274, through the winding R of 202 to battery.

In the serially connected operate and restoring path forcounters 203 and v202, the time required for the circuit to reach its steady-state condition is slightly longer than `for the time required for the operate path of counter 202 to reach a similar condition. This condition vhas been rendered uncritical by increasing the duration of the pulses over wire TP by rendering tenspulse `relay 225 slow releasing by its described shunt controlled by contacts 10 of counter 201. When the effective steady-state condition is reached contact yset 1 of hundreds counter 203 is operated before the restoring circuit of tens counter 202 .is effective. Tens counter 202 does not restore -until the pulse over wire TP ends, upon the restoration of relay 225.

Upon restoring tens counter 202, at its contact set 10 opens its restoring circuit and the operate circuit for hundreds counter 1203.

Succeeding pulses over wire 246 are delivered to the units counter 201 which operates in the manner described to advance the tens and hundreds counters 202 and 203 progressively lighting and extinguishing pilot lamps (not shown) over conductor groups 256 to 258.

At the end of the one hundredth pulse, hundreds counter 203 has its contact -set 1 operated and with all other counters restored, pre-final relay 224 remains shunted under control of thousands counter 204 at its contacts 1 by extending ground from wire 236, terminal 1 of brush 214, rectifier 221, to wire 237.

The receipt of the thousands pulse over wire 246, advances units counter 201 to its tenth position to reoperate tens-pulse relay 225, which advances tens counter 202 to its tenthposition, which advances hundreds counter 203 toits tenth position.

Hundreds counter 203, at its contact set 10, connects the operate winding OP of thousands counter 204 in series with its restoring winding R over wire 276 to step counter 204 to its rst position in a manner as described for the operate path of hundreds counter 203.

At the end of the thousands pulse, units counter 201 restores to shunt relay 225. Upon restoring, relay 225 at its contacts opens the operate circuit for tens counter 202thereby rendering effective its restoring circuit. The restoration of tens counter 202 opens the operate circuit .for hundreds counter 203 permitting the counter to restore and opening the operate circuit for thousands counter 204.

At its break contacts -1, counter 204 disconnects ground from contact 1 of brushes 214 and 219 and from the lamp wire of conductor group 259; and at its make contacts 1 it applies ground to the next lamp wire from ground on wire 236 via break contacts 2 of 204.

At the end of the thousands pulse, thousands counter '204 has its contact set 1 operated with all other counters restored, pre-nal relay 224 remains shunted under control of the vunits counter 201, at its contact set 1 by extending ground from Wire 236 to wire 237.

With pre-final brushes 211a'nd 214 set at 1,001, the receipt of the next pulse to the operate winding OP of 201 operates its contact set 1 thereby removing shunting ground from wire 237 to allow pre-nal relay 224 to operate.

The operate circuit for relay 224 is from ground on Wire 239, contacts 2 of relay 222, through its winding and resistor 253 to battery. Contacts 1 and 2 of pre-final relay 224 may be utilized to transmit control signals as disclosed in the Williamson application, and at its contacts 3, it opens its shunting path -to prevent its premature restoration.

Succeeding pulses are delivered over wire 246 to operate the counting combinations as described.

The -nal pulse (1092) of the series is delivered to the operate Winding OP of units counter 201. At its contact sets 2, i-t disconnects ground from contact 2 of iinal brush 216 to restore start relay 222. At its contacts 1, start relay 222 upon restoring removes ground from Wire 236; I'at its contacts 2, it opens the operate circuit for pre-nal relay 224 and hold relay 223. Hold relay 223 does not immediately restore having a copper sleeve surrounding its core to render it slow-restoring.

At its contacts 3, stant relay 222 upon restoring opens the operate circuit for the control machine `as disclosed in the Williamson application at its contacts 4, it places the pulsing circuit over wire 246 under control of hold relay 223 at its contacts 2; and at its contacts 5 to 8, it completes a restoring circuit for -any operated counters 201 to 204.

The interval with start relay 222 restored and with hold relay 223 still operated, ground is extended from contacts 3 of relay 223, contacts 5 to 8 of 222 to the restoring windings R of counters v201 to 204 to restore them in -t-he event that they were operated.

After a momentary delay, hold relay 223 restores. Contacts .1 of hold relay 223 may be utilized as in the Williamson application. At its contacts 2, relay 223 opens the pulse w-ire for the uni-ts counter 201; land at its contacts 3, it removes ground from the restoring winding OP of counters 201 to 204.

If it is desired at any time, after having started the counting cycle, to stop the control machine and reset the device .to its normal (zero) position with start key 2'33 open, clearout key 234 is operated momentarily.

At its break contacts, clearout key 234 restores start relay 222; yat its break-make contacts, it holds relay 223 operated to extend ground from its contacts 3, contacts 5 Ato 8 of relay 222, -to the restoring windings R of counters 20:1 to 204 to restore lany of them that may have been operated.

Upon restoring, start relay 222 restores relay 224 (if operated) and stops the control machine.

While lI have described above the principles of my invention in connection with spiiic apparatus, it is to be clearly understood t this description is made only 6 by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A counting combination comprising a source of stepping pulses of electric current and a counting device for counting the pulses therefrom in similar groups, the counting device having a stepping electromagnet winding, the counting device having a normal position and having a succession of ofi-normal positions corresponding respectively to the pulses of any pulse group, a stepping circuit including the pulse source and the stepping electromagnet winding, means powered by the stepping winding responsive to any pulse over the stepping circuit when the counting device is in normal position or is in any off-normal position preceding the last forv advancing the counting device to its next succeeding position, the counting device including contact means operable in succession as the said pulses are counted, the counting device further including normally open contact means which are closed directly thereby responsive to the advance of the counting device into the last one of its said ofi-normal positions and are opened directly by the counting device responsive to its restoration to its said normal position, a restoring electromagnet winding, circuit elements comprising a normally open restoring circuit for the restoring winding which is closed by the closure of said normally open contact means, and means powered by the restoring winding responsive to closure of the restoring circuit for restoring the counting device to its said normal position.

2. In a combination according to claim 1, means controlled by the said stepping winding for maintaining the said restoring means ineffective until the end of the pulse by which the counting device is advanced into its last said off-normal position.

3. A counting combination comprising a source of pulses of electric current and a counting device for counting the pulses therefrom in similar groups, the counting device having a normal position and having a succession of off-normal positions corresponding respectively to the pulses of any pulse group, a stepping circuit including the pulse source, means responsive to a pulse over the stepping circuit when the counting device is in normal position, or is in any off-normal position preceding the last, for advancing the counting device to its next succeeding position, the counting device including normally open contact means forming a part thereof and closed directly thereby responsive to the advance of the counting device into its last said oli-normal position and opened directly by the counting device responsive to its restoration to its normal position, circuit elements comprising a normally open restoring circuit for the counting device which is closed by the closure of the last said contact means, and means responsive to closure of the restoring circuit for restoring the counting device to its normal position, the said counting device being an electromagnetic device which includes an electromagnet with a succession of armatures biased to stand in and to return to a normal position, with the armatures corresponding respectively to the said oi-normal positions and each adapted to be operated by the electromagnet and to be held operated by residual magnetism until a reversed magnetizing inuence is applied to the electromagnet, winding means included in the said stepping circuit to magnetize the electromagnet in a given direction responsive to a stepping pulse to advance the device to the next ofi-normal position by operating the corresponding armature, the electromagnet also having winding means included in the said restoring circuit to magnetize the electromagnet reversely responsive to a closure of the restoring circuit to restore the device to its said normal position by releasing the armatures for restoration, upon the opening of the stepping circuit if then still closed.

4. In combination, a rst and Ia second counting cornbination each according to claim 1, the said stepping circuit and the said pulse source for the second combination including contact means forming a part of the counting device of the rst counting combination which is responsive to the last said device being Iadvanced into its final ott-normal position, whereby the said second counting combination counts the cycles of operation of the rst said combination.

5. In combination, a first and a second counting combination each according to claim 1, the said stepping circuit and the said pulse source for the second combination including the said contact means of the first counting combination which closes the said restoring circuit thereof.

i 6. In a combination according to claim 5, the stepping circuit of the said second counting combination comprising a serially related portion of the restoring circuit of the said first counting combination.

7. In combination, a iirst and a second counting combination each according to claim 1, a control relay and means for operating it including Contact means forming part of `the counting device of the first counting combination I and actuated directly by the last said counting device responsive to its being advanced into its last said off-nor- 'mal position, the stepping circuit and pulse source for the second counting combination including contact means of the control relay. 

